Armory Week

After a delayed flight I got into town just in time to catch the opening of The Independent, housed in the old DIA building in Chelsea. If there is one word to describe this show its tactile. The 3 floors are open concept and are more like a sprawling group show than an art fair. Here tiny ceramics were scattered on the floor (among hundreds of opening-party feet) fabric works jutted out from the walls and light installations swung at eye level. The vibe was casual and curious. Lots of wonderful, current work without the sterility of a convention center. Wonderful!

Volta is always a treat and this year is no exception. Having moved from midtown, the fair now occupies 2 floors of a gorgeous warehouse, deep in SoHo.

The new space provides and airy atmosphere an larger booths. The show is made up of solo exhibitions by galleries the US, Europe and Asia. I like the format because it allows the galleries to present a good overview of the artists work and there is often a great range of media. This years highlights include Jake Mooney at Vane, Stas Orlovski at Mixed Greens and the always sublime Kris Knight at Mulherin + Pollard.